Apparatus for applying coke breeze on the bottom of an ingot soaking pit



F. C. GONOS J LYING COKE BREEZE ON'THE BOTT Feb. 14, 1967 APPARATUS FOR APP OF AN INGOT SOAKING PIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1965 l/VVEN TOR. FRANK c. aolvos Attorney Feb. 14; 1967 c, GONOS 3,304,114

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COKE BREEZE ON THE BOTTOM OF AN INGOT SOAKING PIT Filed July 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE/VTOR.

FRANK C. GOIVOS A f forney United States Patent 3,304,114 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COKE BREEZE ON THE BOTTOM OF AN INGOT SOAKING PIT Frank C. Gonos, West Mifilin Borough, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 2, 1965, Ser. No. 469,297 8 Claims. (Cl. 29472) The present invention relates generally to material handling and distributing equipment and, more particular- 1y, to a bottom-discharge bucket apparatus especially suitable for applying coke breeze on the bottom of an ingot soaking pit.

In soaking pits for steel ingots in typical steel mill installations, it is usual practice to maintain a bed of coke breeze on the refractory soaking pit bottom. The coke breeze functions to absorb molten slag and scale from the hot ingots deposited in the soaking pit. Normally, the coke breeze bed burns off after approximately 30 hours of continuous soaking pit operation and must be replenished to prevent the adherence of molten slag and scale to the bottoms of ingots. In reconditioning the soaking pit bottom, the slag and scale in the bottom of the soaking pit is removed and then coke breeze is distributed over the clean soaking pit bottom. Prior to my invention, it was usual practice to load the coke breeze for the bed into an open-top bucket which was then picked up by the soaking pit crane and inverted to dump the coke breeze on the bottom of the soaking pit. The dumped coke breeze was then raked level by a leveling implement attached to the jaws of the soaking pit crane tongs. This method of forming the coke breeze bed did not prove entirely satisfactory since it was not only time consuming and arduous but it resulted in the formation of -a bed which was non-uniform in depth so that certain areas thereof burned off sooner than others and necessitated reconditioning at lesser intervals than every 30' hours.

-In some instances, to avoid clogging the soaking pit ports, a load of coke breeze was dumped alongside the pit and then shoveled into the pit and spread along the bottom thereof manually. In addition to being time consuming and arduous, this method created hazardous working conditions for the workmen involved.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of my invention to provide apparatus for applying coke breeze on the bottom of a soaking pit which includes an improved bottom-discharge bucket which is remotely operated solely by the crane operator to apply coke breeze on a soaking pit bottom in an efficient, uniform, manner.

This and other objects Will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the apparatus of the invention in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the apparatus of the invention in open operating position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial front elevational view of the upper portion of the apparatus turned 90 degrees from the position shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of a guide plate of the apparatus of the invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the valve of the apparatus of the invention.

eferring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates a substantially cylindrical open-top container or shell having an outlet port 4 in the bottom thereof. A frusto-conical valve 6 is normally seated in the outlet port 4 to close the same and is displaceable outwardly of the tank 2 to open the port and permit discharge of the contents thereof. A rigid rod 8 is connected, by welding or the like, at its bottom end to the top of the valve 6. An elongated ring 10 is centrally disposed in tank 2 above the valve 6 by means of a plurality of spaced radial ribs 12 which extend from the ring 10 and are welded to or otherwise rigidly connected with a ring 14 which extends around and is welded to the inner periphery of. the tank 2. A sleeve 16, in which the rod 8 is fitted for axial reciprocal movement, is press fitted at its lower end into the ring 10. The rod 8 is preferably square in section to minimize abrasive action by the coke breeze on the outer periphery of the rod and the inner surface of sleeve 16. The outside diameter of the upper portion of the sleeve 16 is machine finished to effect a sliding fit into the lower portion of a sleeve 18. A plug 20 is threaded into the upper end of the sleeve 18 and has a square headed bolt 22 threaded therethrough. The shaft of the bolt 22 projects from the plug 20 and is threaded into the upper end of the rod 8, as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

A vertically disposed chain 24 is attached at its lower end to a fitting 26 on the head of the 'bolt 22. The chain 24 is centered by a funnel-shaped ring 28 which is shouldered on its lower end and is press fitted into a collar 30 which, in turn, is centrally disposed in the tank 2 by means of spaced radial ribs 32 which extend from the collar 30 to a ring 34 Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner periphery of the tank. The disposition of the opposite end of chain 24 will be described hereinafter.

An inverted U-shape bail 36, formed with a transverse or Web member 38 and side legs or flanges 40 extending downwardly from each end of the transverse member, is pivotally attached to the upper portion of the tank 2. Trunnions 42 are disposed in each of the side legs 40 and project inwardly toward each other adjacent the free ends of the legs to fit slidably into guide plates 44 which are rigidly mounted on opposite sides of the tank 2. Each of the guide plates 44 is formed with a substantially L-shaped slot 46 therein which has a long, generally vertical leg 48 and a short generally horizontal leg 50 substantially normal to the long leg. The trunnions are slidably fitted in the slots for movement between a tank-lifting position A at the upper end of the long leg of each slot and a tank-lifting position B at the end of the short leg of each slot.

A stud 52 is slidably fitted in a tube 54 which, in turn, is fitted in a bored hole and Welded to the transverse member 38 of the bail 36 intermediate the side legs 40. The lower end of the stud 52 projects downwardly from the transverse member 38 and has threaded thereon a fitting 56 to which the upper end of the chain 24 is fastened. The upper end of the stud 52 projects upwardly of the transverse member 38 and has a nut 58 threaded thereon which can be manipulated to adjust the length of the chain 24 by lengthening or shortening the downwardly projecting end of the stud 52.

An inverted U-shape yoke 60 having laterally extending openings through its side legs 62 is bolted or otherwise rigidly mounted on the upper surface of the trans verse member 38 astride the stud 52. The laterally extending openings in the side legs 62 function to receive the spurs 64 of the soaking pit crane tongs 66 whereby the bail 36 can be manipulated.

To assure relative freedom of movement for the trunnions 42 to travel from position A to B and vice versa without skewing, the inside surfaces of the legs 40 of the bail 36 are each provided with guide flanges 68 which extend normally beyond the sides of the legs 40. A corresponding guide member 70, made up of vertical and horizontal ribs, is aflixed to the outer surface of opposite sides of the tank 2 adjacent to and above the guide plates 44. Thus, when the bail 36 is moved between positions A and B, the guide flanges 68 and guide members 70 cooperate to stabilize the bail during its movement and prevent skewing thereof relative to the tank.

A sloping surface 72 is provided in the bottom of the tank 2 surrounding outlet port 4 and functions to facilitate discharge of coke breeze from the tank when the valve 6 is displaced outwardly of the port 4, as best shown in FIGURE 2. An upstanding peripheral rim or flange 74 supported by spaced, substantially triangular, thin, gusset plates 76 is provided on the outer edge of valve 6. The height of the rim 74 is such that the top of the rim is positioned immediately adjacent the bottom of the sloping surface 72 when the valve 6 is in open position, as best shown in FIGURE 2. The spaces between the gusset plates form discharge openings or chutes 77 which are angularly directed co-planar with the outer surface 78 of the valve 6. The openings 77 permit coke breeze to flow in a circular pattern from the tank 2 when the valve 6 is displaced outwardly of the port 4. This causes the coke breeze to be laid in a uniform pattern on the soaking pit floor as the opened tank 2 is carried thereover by the crane tongs.

More specifically, in operation to condition the floor of a soaking pit with the apparatus of the invention, the bail 36 is manipulated by the crane tongs 66 to position the trunnions 42 of the bail in position A in the guide plates 44. In this position the bail is upright and the chain 24 is under tension so that the valve 6 is substantially seated in the outlet port 4 closing the bottom of the tank. With the bottom of the tank thus closed, coke breeze is loaded into the open end of the tank and the entire apparatus is lowered to the floor of the soaking pit by the crane tongs until the bottom of the valve 6 rests upon the bottom of the soaking pit floor. When the tank 2 comes to rest on the soaking pit floor, the valve 6 moves inwardly of the tank a slight distance until the bottom of the valve is level with the bottom of the tank. This causes tension to be relieved from the chain 24 so that the bail can be racked to one side and lowered, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1, to cause the trunnions 42 to move downwardly in the slots 46 to position B in the ends of the short legs 50. Then the bail is lifted to vertical position with the trunnions remaining in position B after which continued lifting of the bail causes lifting of the tank 2. When the tank is thus lifted, the chain 24 is not under tension so that the valve 6 is displaced outwardly of the port 4 by gravity to the position shown in FIGURE 2, permitting coke breeze to be discharged in a circular pattern through the openings 77.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying coke breeze on the bottom of an ingot soaking pit which comprises a tank for containing said coke breeze and adapted to be lowered into said soaking pit, said tank having an outlet port through the bottom thereof, a valve displaceably seated in and normally closing said port, said valve being displaceable outwardly of said tank to open said outlet port, slotted guide plates on opposite sides of said tank, a bail having trunnions thereon pivotally connected wih said guide plates, said trunnions being slidably fitted in the slots of said guide plates for movement between one tankliftin-g position at one end of said slots and a second tank-lifting position at the opposite end of said slots, means connecting said valve with said bail whereby said valve is maintained substantially seated in said port when said tank is lifted by said bail with said trunnions in one of said positions and said valve is displaced by gravity outwardly from said outlet port to open the same when said tank is lifted by said bail with said trunnions in the other of said positions.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said bail is formed in substantialy inverted U-shape having opposed side legs connected by a transverse member with said trunnions being disposed in the free ends of said side legs and projecting outwardly therefrom toward each other, a first guide flange is disposed on each of said legs adjacent said trunnions, and a second guide flange is disposed on said tank adjacent to and co-planar with said guide plates, said first guide flange being adapted to cooperate with said second guide flange to stabilize said bail as said trunnions move from one of said positions to the other.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 including a lift yoke formed on said transverse member on the side thereof remote from said side legs.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said valve is frusto-conical in shape and a peripheral flange having spaced openings therealong is upstanding on said valve, said openings being directed at an angle co-planar with the outer surface of said frusto-conical valve above its base.

5. Apparatus for applying coke breeze on the bottom of an ingot soaking pit which comprises a tank for containing said coke breeze and adapted to be lowered into said soaking pit, said tank having an outlet port through the bottom thereof, a valve displaceably seated in and normally closing said outlet port, said valve being displaceable outwardly of said tank to open said outlet port, a rigid rod mounted in said tank for reciprocable movement axially thereof, said rod being rigidly connected at one end with said valve, a bail having trunnions thereon pivotally connected with said tank, guide plates on opposite sides of said tank, each of said plates having a substantially L-shape slot therein formed with a long leg and a short leg substantially normal to said long leg, said trunnions lbeing slidably fitted in said slots for movement between one tank-lifting position at the end of said long leg and a second tank-lifting position at the end of said short leg, suspension means connected at one end to said bail intermediate said trunnions and at its other end to the end of said rod remote from said valve, said suspension means being of such a length as to maintain said valve substantially seated in said outlet port to close the same when said tank is lifted by said bail with said trunnions in one of said positions and to displace said valve from said outlet port to open the same when said tank is lifted by said bail with said trunnions in the other of said positions to thereby discharge coke breeze from said tank.

6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5 including a sleeve disposed centrally of said tank by ribs extending from said sleeve to the sides of said tank, said rod being reciprocable in said sleeve.

7. Apparatus as defined by claim 5 including a guide ring disposed centrally of said tank in alignment with said 5 6 rod adjacent the end thereof remote from said valve, said References Cited by the Examiner suspension means being reciprocable in said guide ring. P N

8. Apparatus as defined by claim 5 including a shaft UNITED STATES ATE TS adjustably fitted in said transverse member and having 1,494,076 5/1924 Provay 29469 one end thereof projecting from said member between said 5 side legs, said one end of said suspension means being FOREIGN PA?E\ITS connected with the projecting end of said shaft, and 180,022 5/ 19212 Great Brltalna adjusting means connected with said shaft for shortening and lengthening the projecting end thereof to thereby GERALD FORLENZA Examiner shorten and lengthen said suspension means. 10 G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COKE BREEZE ON THE BOTTOM OF AN INGOT SOAKING PIT WHICH COMPRISES A TANK FOR CONTAINING SAID COKE BREEZE AND ADAPTED TO BE LOWERED INTO SAID SOAKING PIT, SAID TANK HAVING AN OUTLET PORT THROUGH THE BOTTOM THEREOF, A VALVE DISPLACEABLY SEATED IN AND NORMALLY CLOSING SAID PORT, SAID VALVE BEING DISPLACEABLE OUTWARDLY OF SAID TANK TO OPEN SAID OUTLET PORT, SLOTTED GUIDE PLATES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TANK, A BAIL HAVING TRUNNIONS THEREON PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID GUIDE PLATES, SAID TRUNNIONS BEING SLIDABLY FITTED IN THE SLOTS OF SAID GUIDE PLATES FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN ONE TANKLIFTING POSITION AT ONE END OF SAID SLOTS AND A SECOND TANK-LIFTING POSITION AT THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SLOTS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID VALVE WITH SAID BAIL WHEREBY SAID VALVE IS MAINTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY SEATED IN SAID PORT WHEN SAID TANK IS LIFTED BY SAID BAIL WITH SAID TRUNNIONS IN ONE OF SAID POSITIONS AND SAID VALVE IS DISPLACED BY GRAVITY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OUTLET PORT TO OPEN THE SAME WHEN SAID TANK IS LIFTED BY SAID BAIL WITH SAID TRUNNIONS IN THE OTHER OF SAID POSITIONS. 